Mega fever!

So, what would you do with 640 million dollars? Tonight is the world's biggest lottery drawing. I bought a few - couldn't resist. Let's dream for a little. I'd buy Tango a new collar - he deserves it! I'd buy me some neat stuff. And I'd buy a new RV to live in the Florida Keys. Buy a cool new building for Golly Gear and Dogs in the Ring. One big enough for a couple rings for an AKC Agility Trial. Sounds good to me. Meanwhile, back to reality and cranky customers, twitchy credit card processing... - Fran

One of the very best things about working here at Golly Gear/Dogs In The Ring is bringing our dogs to work with us. Just taking 5 minutes to play with our dogs is really energizing. I wish everyone could!

How can you possibly have a bad day when you've got this face to look at? Ted's even starting to get the whole concept of "stay!"

And of course my darling Daxie-girl is wonderful in practice. Classes and trials may be stressful for her - but she loves playing with me here. Excuse the devil-flash-eyes, please. They looked even creepier when I tried to fix them. It's a wonder we get any work done at all! - Hope

Construction zone

Almost done with this phase of construction! Just the second coat of yellow left to do! Our trainer, Dee, asked us to build six more dogwalk trainers. This gives the correct angle of the dogwalk ramp, but without the length of the dogwalk itself. And it lets six people and pups train the proper method of getting on and off the dogwalk. And that's a good thing. Hope cleverly figured a great locking mechanism for the leg, to give just the right angle! Hope, Emily (our good friend and part-time helper), and I built the dogwalk trainers over the course of a couple of weeks. Next project - a table for Dogs in the Ring! - Fran

Carpentry!

So now the Golly Gear gals have gone into the carpentry biz. Not professionally, but for our Dogs in the Ring training equipment. We made a wobble board last week - good for getting dogs used to unstable surfaces, like the teeter-totter. And since Dee said it would be nice to have SIX dogwalk ramp trainers, we're building those. Hope's a whiz with the tools but she's not allowed to paint. Emily and I make good assistants, and I wield the paintbrush. Hope is sanding one of the dogwalk trainers even as I'm typing this, on her day off! (I'll be in tomorrow, on my day off, painting.) - Fran

Teddy plays with Airedales and Keeshonden

Wednesdays at Golly Gear/Dogs In The Ring are particularly terrific days - our agility/obedience instructor Dee Lulik (ChicagoAgility.com) comes to give private lessons. Yesterday, Dee, Emily and I had some time to play. Dee brought her wonderful Airedales, who, aside from being amazing girls, have more titles/accomplishments than you can shake a stick at.
My Dax (French Bulldog) can be a bit testy around other dogs, so in the manner of dog trainers everywhere, I'm making sure Teddy (French Bulldog) doesn't have the same issues. He'll have his very own batch we'll contend with. So far - he loves playing with all other dogs. All breeds, sizes, shapes. Teddy doesn't care. Everyone is his best friend. I love that. Teddy is used to Emily's Keeshonden - she often brings Whyit and Lydia (both of whom also have a bunch of titles) to work with her. Juno, Emily's puppy (and Lydia's daughter) isn't quite ready to mix in the mayhem - but she will!

Whyit (Keeshond) says "Teddy, you hold her down so I can sniff her butt!"

Help those in need

Last night was another training night here at Golly Gear and Dogs in the Ring for the C.A.R.E. volunteers at the Evanston Shelter. We're happy to postpone dinner for a couple of hours to keep the Ring open for them. The Shelter dogs had a nice meal waiting for them (aside from the treats they earned during training!) But I can't help but think about the pups wandering the broken streets and alleys of earthquake-devastated Haiti. It's been over two weeks since the horrible earthquake there and the need continues - for people and animals. Here are some great organizations that help:
American Red Cross
Association for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
National Search Dog Foundation
World Society for the Protection of Animals

-Fran

Bad timing

I have really bad timing. Or maybe it's just lousy coordination. I swear I really can walk and chew gum at the same time - but you'd never believe it watching me trying to learn a new skill in agility.
Yesterday was Dax's and my first lesson in our new space (DogsInTheRing.com) with our instructor Dee - possibly the most patient teacher and best agility coach on the face of the earth. (She also has the #1 and #3 Airedale in the country! ) Our objective is to build a better working relationship between Dax and me - so that Dax knows what's expected of her, how to do it, and to do it at "squirrel-chasing speed."
One of the exercises we worked on was simple. I sit in a chair about 10 feet back from one set of 2x2 weave poles. As Dax goes through them, I click my clicker and toss a treat so the reward (cheese) is in line with where the rest of the weave poles will be when we add them.
Darned if I could click and throw simultaneously. Or throw straight. Or click when Dax was actually moving. Dee very gently pointed out that I was rewarding my dog for stopping instead of moving.
So today - I sat in the chair and practised throwing and clicking. Without Dax. Some days I practise agility with my dog. And some days, without her. Because practise makes perfect. And to mix many metaphors - someday I'm hoping to get to Carnegie Hall.

Support your local animal shelter

Last night a group of volunteers from C.A.R.E. (Community Animal Rescue Effort) and a few dogs from the Evanston Animal Shelter came to train at our Dogs in the Ring. We donate the ring a few hours a month for that training. It's not a big deal - just an hour or two a couple of times a month. But it could make a big difference to those dogs. If a dog behaves well, not jumping at your face, and walks nicely on a leash, it could make that dog more adoptable. It could help that dog get her forever home more quickly. Or if that training gives a shy dog more confidence, maybe he'll stand out and find a great home.

The C.A.R.E. volunteers spend a whole lot more than a few hours a month working for the good of those dogs. I'm sure that's the case at all the animal shelters across the country. Let's support those volunteers, the shelters they work for, and the dogs (and other animals) they work with. Remember your local animal shelter with a year-end donation. (It's tax-deductible, you know!) - Fran

Dogs Playing at Golly Gear

Our friend Emily brought her adorable Keeshonds, Lydia and Whyit, to work (OK, maybe play) in our ring today. Too much fun! Lydia loves to bark while she works and little Whyit is just plain cute! We love it when our dogs have fun, and Emily's dogs definitely have fun! - Fran

Stop Wallowing!

I know I'm entitled to cry. I'm allowed to take my time through the grieving process. And I still miss Golly like crazy. How can I not, when for 13 years I had to walk carefully to make sure I didn't step on that little black form by my feet? But I'm tired of being depressed. I'm tired of having a headache. And I've got to stop crying - my contact lenses will build up an impenetrable protein barrier if I don't. And all of our friends have been so incredibly supportive - thank you! So I'm going to stop wallowing in my depression and grief! I'm going to try to turn my energies to more productive projects. I have been enjoying all the dogs (and their people) who've come to play at our ring! - Fran

Dog Esoterica

Those of us in the dog world - immersed in training, obedience, agility, and competition of any kind with our dogs - apparently have a secret language that outsiders cannot comprehend. Our practice ring is close to being ready for the public (www.DogsintheRing.com) and we're trying to tie all the loose ends up. One of those ends was insurance. Hope and I have been talking to Shel since our mom was here and he's been handling our business insurance for eons. But when we tried to explain what a practice ring was for, Shel was out of his element. "Can't they do this at home?" Hmmm, nope, no jumps, not enough room, don't want to interact with the neighborhood kids every time. "Agility? what in the world?" You run with your dog through an obstacle course. "Teeter totter? Like kids play with?" Yeah, kinda. "Weave poles???" Um, yeah, the dog goes in between the poles. "Really? Why?" It's the rule. and it's fun. We couldn't figure out a way to explain a "go-out," so we left it at that. A teeter is coming in a couple of weeks and so is a tunnel, but we've got jumps, and we've got weave poles. Our obedience jumps are coming soon too. We're almost there. -Fran